Chopsticks

    ⒈When chopsticks were invented?

    In fact, before the invention of chopsticks, Chinese ancestors actually used hands to eat, but how did they eat soup（汤菜）and porridge? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Chinese started to use chopsticks about 3,000 years ago in Shang Dynasty.

    ⒉Who invented chopsticks?

    The records of using chopsticks have been found in many written books but lack physical evidence. However many stories are about the invention of chopsticks. One says that Jiang Ziya, an ancient wise man, created chopsticks. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But there is no exact history record about the invention. We can only say that smart ancient Chinese invented chopsticks.

    ⒊How to use Chinese chopsticks.

    Using two slim sticks to pick up food is actually not difficult. You can do it if you practice it for some time, even if you are a foreigner. The key to managing chopsticks is keeping one chopstick in position while moving the other to pick up food. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ⒋Chopsticks Manners

    Chopsticks are usually held in the right hand, and left-handed chopstick use is considered as improper in China. Playing with chopsticks is thought to be impolite. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    ⒌The philosophy of Chinese chopsticks

    Chinese philosopher Confucius advised people to use chopsticks instead of knives because the metal knives remind people of cold weapons, which mean killing and violence.

    ⒍A chopsticks-themed museum can be found in Shanghai

    If you are truly interested in chopsticks, you can pay a visit to the Shanghai Chopsticks Museum. The museum gathered more than 1,200 pairs of chopsticks from China, Korea, Japan and Thailand.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Chopsticks were introduced to many other neighbor countries due to its lightness and convenience.

B. It is considered to be polite and thoughtful to pick up food for the elderly and children.

C. Bamboo chopsticks are most frequently used in Chinese daily life.

D. The oldest one was from the Tang Dynasty.

E. There also go around some other stories.

F. Remember to practice with patience.

G. They had to use sticks to eat them.

    It's said that people travel to see the world. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You walk down different streets, hear different accents, and see different views. All of this is a great way to absorb a new location and learn as much as you can.

    But there's another reason why people travel to experience something new. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So what kind of person are you? To tell the truth, you'll learn about yourself no matter where you go.

    If you're a bookworm: Anyone studying English literature will love being on the soil of where such rich literary tradition was born. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Maybe you'll run into one of your favorite characters during the trip.

    If you're a Disney princess fan: Head over to Prague and you'll find the setting of every fairy tale you've ever dreamed of. Prague's study abroad programs are in English and are flexible.

    If you're a history lover: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Sure, that's a lot of places. But you've never felt quite as absorbed in the ancient world as walking around Athens and Rome.

    If you're an adventure seeker: Consider going to Australia.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    If you're indecisive: Just choose them all and take a Semester at Sea. You'll have your classes on a ship as it sails around the world, making stops at 15 cities in 11 countries.

    Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness?  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

    Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your mood will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

    Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self-pity. Truly happy people don't allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they ran turn the circumstances back to their favor.

     {#blank#}3{#/blank#}These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.

     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing hath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood.

    Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Most people have some regret that they just can't seem to get rid of. But holding on to regret about the past that can't be changed can have a bad impact on the possibility of a happy future. Regret is a waste of time, emotion and energy. To make sure that your life is a successful one, you need to take action to live in a way that you have no regret holding you back.

    Some people make very big decisions with very little consideration at all, and as a result they often regret their decisions. Before choosing a college major, getting married or accepting a job, you must think about all conditions carefully and make a conscious decision rather than a careless one. Big decisions aren't the only ones that require forethought, though. Before you become angry and say something you will regret later, think about what you're going to say.

    Some of things will be easy to do and some will be hard, but keep your eyes on the prize of living a successful life without regret, and you'll find that achieving your goals might be easier than you think. But don't just daydream about those goals—make an actual list, written down in black and white, and refer to it now and then to see what you have left to do.

    When you're feeling happy and full of energy, taking care of yourself isn't a problem. But in those days when you feel like crawling beneath the bed and never coming out again, you still must take care of yourself. You can do what you want and don't get angry with yourself about your shortcomings. On the contrary, you just admit them and try to change them and move on. Improving your mental health is just as important as taking care of yourself physically.

    Keep those who are important to you very close and be sure to let them know how important they are to you. Family, friends, co-workers and people who are as close as your families are your lifelines that you can depend on whenever you need them to help you remember what's important in life. You should make sure of repairing your relationships with your friends if something bad happens.

    Last but not least, learn to give yourself some relaxation and not to waste your time regretting things you cannot change. Treat those things properly and move on. Life is hard, but it is precious. Don't waste time regretting the past, or your future will get here before you know it.

    There are some people who seem to always be surrounded by friends, and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside, looking in at the crowds of friends. If you are one of the outsiders, it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ⒈Be yourself. Nobody likes a phony(虚伪的人). In fact, if you aren't yourself, others won't become friends with you. When the time comes that you feel comfortable enough to act like yourself again, you may not be well received, because you are a totally different person.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    ⒉Use technology. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For instance, Weibo is a great place to meet new people. It creates experiences and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

    ⒊Start with people you know. Reach out and contact new friends, and reconnect with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. Don't forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some really cool people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you stay home, you aren't going to meet people.

    ⒋Keep in touch. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} With the Internet and social media, there is absolutely no need to worry about that these days. Look up old friends and contact them.

A. There are all kinds of online groups that you can join.

B. Knowing others well is very important.

C. Therefore, let people get to know the real you.

D. If you are invited to go out, go.

E. All too often, people lose touch with one another.

F. Here are some tips that will help.

G. You need to trust yourself, whatever happens.

    When big news breaks, it's easy to get caught up in following the story online. The Internet can be a place to find useful information. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Helping kids understand the news and how to separate fact from fiction is an important job for parents and educators.

    Here's some advice that parents can offer kids to help them be quicker to judge as they consume news online.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In the rush to cover stories, reporters make mistakes, officials don't always have correct information and tidbits (八卦新闻) that sound reasonable often get passed around before anyone has checked them for accuracy.

    Use social media wisely. Some say Twitter is a great source of news in the first few minutes of a tragedy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} On the other hand, Facebook can be a great way to connect with friends affected by events in the news and to spread personal news within a more limited circle.

    Be skeptical. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} After the Boston Marathon bombing, NBC Sports reported that some runners kept running all the way to the hospital to donate blood for the victims. Not true. There are plenty of websites devoted to exposing false news stories. The Washington Post also has a Fact Checker column that delivers claims made by public officials and politicians. Visit them to find out if a story is true.

    Keep it age-appropriate. Kids aren't always ready to digest big, tragic news - especially if the news is about kids, such as school shootings or abuses. The constant repetition of information can be confusing for younger kids, and at the beginning of a news event, parents might not be able to offer any correct answers. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Remember, breaking news is often wrong.

B. It also can be the source of misinformation.

C. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

D. Make sure you and your kids aren't falling victim to false news.

E. However, after that it just becomes messy and largely inaccurate.

F. With social media at your fingertips, it's convenient to express your opinion.

G. Kids who are eager to learn more about certain events can check kid-guided news sources.